The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-04-21
BRAIN.FnRoING.

The Popular Science Monthly for Apt
contains an article on "Brain-F orciuG
In Childhood" which ought TO b rAa
by every parent and teacher In Auerica
1t Is from TIE pen OF Or. William A
Hammond This pmi0enl physiohn
observed In his practice the evils ina
| follow the OVeT-eXertiOn of the brain III
| childhood. He has seen children, WI
were forced to pOuT O'tr Oks when
they ought to have bten asleep or al
play, suffering from serious nervous
| arrangement, and In fair Ysy OF
h4c mi0g ruined for life. From hi
nOWledge Of the structure and the
powers OF the brain. and the relation t
the other parts of the body, he know s
what are the results of OVer.taskiug
| when 1t is weak and immaturr. b,
therefore speaks on the subject as one
having authority, and 1t is most unwl =
to disregard what he says. Besides nis
teachings recommend themselves to
mems common sense and agree with
their experience as far ss II goes.
The little girl of TIVE i've years old whO'e
case Is the lext OF DR.. HammOnd's arti
Gle, had nine subjects to study between
three o'clock in the afternoon Of one
day and nine o'clock In the morning
the next he calculates that after al
lowing eight hours for sleep and very
moderate time for eating, dressing, ETC..
and none at all for play, this chilo
would have six hours and q half Id which
to study those nine subjects. These.
with the five hours she would have to
spend In the school room, make eleven
hours and half for that poor rhild's
working day. 1t Is no wonder that
under such strain her nerves CIV
way, and that there was prospect If
her filling an eirly grave or becoming
an imbecile for life. The worst of this
forcing system IL, that it is tn bTiGh =
est children whom 1t Injuries mO4r.
Those little ones whom nature has
blessed with merciful dalness,
wh SO brains refuse to be s.imu
lated, are the. least hurt by il.
This very likely Is The reason why 80
many stupid" children disspDoint their
parents and teachers by becoming bright
men and women. Tney had not learned
their lessons as the prodigies did at tht
expense of their bTain-substance. They
had not expended all their capital whilr
they were children, and, consequently,
had something tD draw upon when they
grew to years of maturity OF bis little,
oVerWOrked patient the doctor says: "A
very simple examination enl b!ed me to
satisfy myself that she was living OIL
her brain capital instead Of her brain
income. Her expenditures were greater
than her receipts, and brain-bankruptcy
wss staring b r in ithe face" "Ihls,"
he says, SIS no flower of speech, but d
sober fact" With eleven and half
hours OF brain work day, 1t would be
surprising il the substance of the brain
10 this clever and delicateIy organized
child were rot consumed. That tie
same number of hours of study did no.
DO Al eq1sl amount Of damage to he'
thick-headed hr thsF was simply becsu
the ie ung RASCAL did not study ne
fOnrth of The time.
Unthinking, ignorant people, becsus
hart brain work is not accompanied by
visible Signs Of exeTtiOn, imagine thA
10 Is MT exhaGstiDg. This Is what DR..
Hammond says on the suhjsct: Every
person who has tried both knows tina
)ne hour of intense mental exartiOn ia
SiRue5 tn whole system more than does
corresponding amount of the most &C.
VeTe physical work" He shows WHY
ID must be the case, aud what he says
s worthy of the mos careful attentiHu
# those 20 whom the care Of children IL
entrusted. "Che reason for this" be
'dds, "ls evident. The br4 4ln not only
furnishes the fDrCe for thought and the |
|ther elements of the mind, but it keeps
n action all the other organs of III
)Ody. Ii, therefore, the mind takes NOR
han Its share of force, the heart. the
stomach, the lungs, ths muscles suff +,
md the feeling of WEAKNESS is pxperl
'nced." Those, then. who guilty To tn
lratns of children at the expense OF tie |
lther organs of their bOdie crippl
hem and do their bsst to make the III
init 10 fight the battle Of life. A healthy
'ody Is just as necessary for the life |
q lipment of a young man or young
woman as a cultivated mind, and ii
ystem that forces the mind at the ex
'ense OF the body does the young OF |
ither sex gIlevOus injustice.